Non league football: Alty to shoot on sight

ALTRINCHAM manager Bernard Taylor has ordered his goal-shy strikers to adopt a "shoot on sight" policy as semi-pro football's most famous giant-killers prepare to get their latest FA Cup show on the road.

ALTRINCHAM manager Bernard Taylor has ordered his goal-shy strikers to adopt a "shoot on sight" policy as semi-pro football's most famous giant-killers prepare to get their latest FA Cup show on the road.

The Robins host Kendal in one of a series of second qualifying round clashes which match Manchester's five UniBond premier clubs with lower-ranked opponents.

It's a tie Altrincham teams of old would have expected to win at a canter, but having lost their last four games, Taylor's men are hardly in the best shape.

They've scored just three times in those matches and, mindful of hard-up Alty's urgent need for a Cup run, that miserable scoring sequence has prompted Taylor to call on his front men to cut out the fancy stuff.

'Massive game'

Taylor, who last season steered the Robins to within 90 minutes of a potential third-round glamour tie with a Premiership club, said: "Tomorrow's is a massive game for this club.

"It's time we started shooting more, because I cannot stress enough how badly we need to beat Kendal."

Good news for Alty fans is that skipper Rod Thornley appears to be shaking off a knee injury which forced him to miss Tuesday's 1-0 defeat by Marine.